


Hogsmeade Dates and Pining Fools

by bluebirdling



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Hogsmeade date, jily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29695242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebirdling/pseuds/bluebirdling
Summary: James sees Lily on a date with someone who isn’t him.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 47





	Hogsmeade Dates and Pining Fools

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I’m surprised too. Have at it, loves.
> 
> This was supposed to be a angst fic but then, as they say, it grew out of control.

He doesn’t know why he even cares. 

He doesn’t know why he’s here, sitting in the booth with his mates and listening to every single tibit of the conversation going on behind him, like a bloody stalker. 

James didn’t plan for this to happen. 

He was supposed to be revelling in the success of one of their greatest pranks on the supposedly death eater gang. He was supposed to be bragging about the praise McGonagall had showered on him just moments before for handling his Head duties better than anyone ever expected. He was supposed to be listening to his mates laugh and plan their next nightly escapade with Remus. 

He’d walked down the snowy pavement, hands carelessly thrown over Sirius’ shoulders and fiddling with his wand. And then he opened the door to the Three Broomsticks to find the most disgusting sight to ever grace his eyes. 

He would rather see Snape’s _knickers_ than see this. 

Every second was a punch in the gut. 

And there she was, laughing and chatting away, oblivious to all the bloody pain she was causing him. 

Sirius clapped his back, not caring for how distraught he looked and called Rosmerta over for some drinks. Remus at least had the decency to look pityingly at him. Peter was far too busy gawking at the overflowing glass of butterbeer to care much. 

James joined them in the only deserted booth, which also just happened to be behind where Lily was sitting. Fucking _ironicity._ She’d been startled by their rather sudden appearance, but politely smiled at Remus and grinned at Sirius. And couldn’t even bother to look at him before turning back to her _date._

James nearly snorted at the comical scene. 

It probably would’ve been a good laugh, if not for the situation. 

He hadn’t exactly planned to come down to Hogsmeade to find her on a date with someone. Someone who wasn’t _him_. 

But he wasn’t going to let her ruin this day for him. 

* * *

It’s halfway through his second butterbeer that he let his thought wander back to the scene behind him. 

Honestly, what did she see in that blasphemous git? 

Bertram was an old hag who had pervertive eyes that wandered where they weren’t supposed to. 

Bertram was an arse. 

Bertram was on a date with _Lily_. 

She deserved so much more like...like maybe him?

_He_ was so much better than that plonker. 

He made to take a swing out of his glass, but ended up gulping it down to the last drop. Sirius gave him a look that clearly said _well-this-is-going-to-be-interesting._

Sirius can sod off. 

He stood up and grabbed his coat. 

Just as Bertram dragged Lily’s chair like a gentleman (he was just looking for one thing at this point, honestly, how could Lily not see that?) and held out an arm for her to take. 

Honestly, their names sounded _ridiculous_ together. But _‘James and Lily’_ ? That was _something._

He pushed the door and walked out, blocking out the noise of the pub and Sirius’ barking laughs, raising his eyes to the clear winter sky. 

The heavenly deities really did hate him. 

But she was her own person. She could date whoever the hell she wanted. She may have become friends with him this year, but that didn’t entitle him _anything._ They were just friends. The amount of pining he did didn’t mean anything, and it definitely wouldn’t get her to fancy him. 

One day it might. Clearly not in the foreseeable future. 

Bloody _hell,_ James really needed some cheering up. And it was just three shops over. 

Honeydukes it is. 

* * *

And of course, _of course_ they decided to visit it too. 

They were a bloody _hindrance_. 

“—and to be fair, Charms is kinda rubbish. It’s just spells that we’ll probably never use. DADA on the other hand—“

James snorted. This guy was going to the ditch. Anyone who knew Lily knew never to insult Charms—

“Besides, Flitwick is just a gnome—“

—much less the Charms _teacher_ . Lily absolutely _adored_ him. 

_Oh, Bertram you’re not gonna make it now._

Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. 

Lily’s voice cut through like steel, “Bert, Charms is not rubbish. You’ve just got your head too far up your arse to appreciate it.”

A short laugh escaped before James cut it off with his hand. Thankfully, they were too busy to notice him eavesdropping over the aisle. 

He chuckled awkwardly, “Eh, Lily opinions are opinions.”

“And DADA is complete shite.” 

The awkward silence that followed almost had James breaking out into a happy dance right there and then. Before his feet got any ideas, he approached the counter with all the sweets in one bag, hand in his trouser pockets for a few sickles. 

And after paying for it all, he walked out the door, making for the pub again.

* * *

They welcomed him back, rather suspicious of the small smile on his face and the surprisingly cheery disposition on his face. 

Dumping the stack of sweets on the table, James grinned at them, “Dig in, lads.”

Sirius raised a unfairly perfect eyebrow, one that James will forever be jealous of. 

“What’s gotten into you, Prongs?”

“Why wo—“

“Lily ditched her date didn’t she?”

“Wh—no, she di—“

“Then it’s going rather terribly isn’t it?”

“No! Well, _yes_ , but that’s not th—“

Remus sighs, bracing himself on the table, “What did you do, James?”

“I didn’t do anything I swear!”

“Of course you didn’t do anything, darling Jamsie poo.”

“I didn’t! And I told you not to call me that!”

“And I told you to man up and ask Evans out so I could stop listening to you _whine_ about her like a pathetic—“

“She would’ve rejected me an—“

Remus banged his glass on the wooden beamed table, startling James as Sirius leaned back distraught. Peter’s eyes widened, making them turn around. 

And there Lily was, walking towards them. 

No. Heading _straight_ for them. 

“Potter. May I see you outside?”

Sirius snorted, brandishing a grin like no other, winking at Lily as he pushed James towards her, “Why, hullo there Evans. Yes, James just happens to be looking for a snog right this moment. How kind of you to help him and ease the torment on my ears.”

He was in for a pounding when they got back. If not for him, then surely from Lily. 

“Fuck off, Black.”

“A pleasure, as always, Evans. Cheers.”

Lily ignored him, latching onto his hand and tugging at it towards the door, and James wished he could make some snarky comment to sprout that beautiful smile that painfully tugged at his heartstrings, but he couldn’t even _think_ —she was _touching_ him, she was _holding his hand_. 

He was a bloody bleeding _mess_. 

She swung the door open and waved at Bertram from across the street, giving that bastard a smile before turning to him with pleading eyes. 

“Get me out of this date _now_ . Make up an excuse. Say it’s the head duties or that Dumbledore is calling us. _Anything_ to get me out of here.”

“I—but—why?”

“Potter, _get me out of_ —“

“Yeah, yeah, I will. Just tell me _why._ ”

She levelled him with a look, eyes roving around his face as if scrunitising throughly. 

“Because, _Potter,_ I’ve got cramps. And I don’t want to tell that to him.”

James didn’t miss a beat, “But you have no problem telling me?”

“That’s different and a conversation for another day. Just please, _please—“_

Bertram, the bastard with little-to-no-sense arse _without_ a good arse, must have crossed over the street while they’d been arguing because his voice cut through theirs. 

“Hey Lily, you ready to go?”

She looked up at him with pleading eyes, green eyes begging him to do _something._

Did she really have a book on winning people over?

He really wouldn’t be surprised if she did. 

He whispered, voice low enough so he couldn’t hear them, “I’m a shite actor, Lils.”

“ _James—“_

Turning to face Bertram, he grinned wickedly at him, throwing his arm around Lily, “Sorry to cut you’d date short, mate, but y’know how it gets. Head duties and all that bullshit. Gotta keep our house smarter than yours.”

If he wasn’t mistaken, there was a tad hint of fumes coming from his ears, but he didn’t seem to plan on breaking the glare to get away from them. 

“Well, run along! I’m sure Evans would love to go on a date with you another time.”

Berty glanced at Lily for conformation as she smiled apologetically at him, removing James’ arm from around her shoulders and linking it instead. He ignored his racing heart at the touch, smirk growing as Lily’s fingers bit into the skin of his forearm. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow at Charms! Bye!”

With that, she pulls them away before her date can so much as wave at them, their hands still linked as they disappear into the crowd of Hogwarts students. When Lily deemed they’re far enough, she released his arm—and he missed the touch instantly—from the hand lock and punches his arm _hard._

“I’m bad at acting, my _arse._ You shite liar.”

But she was grinning at him, eyes twinkling and lips pulled back to a dazzling smile and he wanted to kiss her, _right there and then_ , hands reaching out to pull her in. 

He steadied himself.

“Well, I got rid of the prick didn’t I?”

“He’s not a prick. He’s really sweet.”

“That _totally_ explains why you don’t want to go on a date with him.”

Lily raised an eyebrow at him, the one he envied for years, and pointed at her stomach, “Cramps, remember?”

“Bloody hell, Evans, _you’re_ a shite liar. You can just tell me, y’know.”

“Tell what? That I’ll go on another date with him as soon as the next date for Hogsmeade is out?”

_“Liar,”_

“None of your business, anyway.” she turned away, but James caught her hand, pulling her back. 

“You—you could do so much better than that git, y’know.”

Without missing a beat, she smirked up at him, “Like you?”

His eyebrows shot to his hairline, smile forming to match hers, “Preferably me, yeah.”

Lily looked down at the path leading to their school. Then back up at him. 

Then, to his complete shock and utter joy, she turned around and made way for the castle. 

“He was a bollocks date anyways.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me on tumblr at @bluebirdlinginthenest?


End file.
